Their Worry
by WittyPiglet
Summary: His Pain from Meliodas and the others' perspective. Sequel to His Pain, Part 2 of 3 of His Need series.


**Their Worry**

Everyone was celebrating, merrily drinking and eating to their heart's content. The Boar Hat was filled with the Seven Deadly Sins (minus Diane who was peeking in through a huge window), Elizabeth, Hawk, Hauser, Gilthunder, Jericho, Guila, Griamore, Veronica, Margaret, Slader and his fellow members of Dawn Roar, and even Arthur came all the way from Camelot.

Why were all these people gathered together you may ask?

Why for the simple reason that it was Princess Elizabeth's 17th birthday. They all had a huge formal ball at the castle of course, but Meliodas wanted to have a party at the Boar Hat with them all as well and how were they going to tell him no?

So there they all were, chatting and partying as if the world was ending tomorrow.

The three princesses were all talking quietly in a corner as they watched the chaos around them, Diane occasionally adding to their conversation from where she was looking in. Hauser and Gilthunder were arm wrestling with Meliodas, Griamore, Hugo, Weinheidt, and Arthur cheering them on. King was talking with Jillian of Dawn Roar, both drinking Bernia Ale while Hawk was eating the scraps that people were dropping. Simon was trying to get a blushing and very drunk Slader to go talk to Gowther who was in a conversation with Merlin, both of them slightly tipsy as drinks kept getting pushed into their hands. Jericho and Guila were casually talking as they downed their drinks.

Ban, though, in particular was drinking like crazy as he sat in a corner, drinking Bellford Black Wine instead of ale quietly.

Everyone chuckled as King had to stop his conversation with Jillian to run to the Boar Hat's only bathroom. They all laughed louder from the retching sounds coming from within.

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Meliodas was cheering along with the others as they watched Lil Gil and Hauser arm wrestling, neither giving an inch. He gulped down his ale and stole someone else's to drink. He was just about to take a drink of his newly acquired ale when he saw Ban get up from the table he was unusually sitting at by himself. He was just about to call out to his comrade and ask where he was going when his attention was drawn back to the arm wrestling to see Gilthunder win. They all cheered and patted the sulking Hauser's back.

No one else noticed Ban's leaving except Diane but she just shrugged and didn't say a word.

They all continued drinking and partying till long after the sun went down.

Ban never came back.

No one noticed.

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Meliodas groaned quietly as he sat up, rubbing at his aching head. He looked around the dining area of the Boar Hat and chuckled as he noticed just about everyone was out cold in various positions. He chuckled and stood up as the others slowly roused from their slumber.

"Oh good morning Lord Meliodas!" The leader of the Seven Deadly Sins attention was drawn in the direction of the sweet voice till his eyes met the youngest princess's.

"Good morning Elizabeth," Meliodas returned her smile and hopped to his feet, stretching and enjoying the popping sounds his spine made. He chuckled as the others began complaining about massive hangovers and regrets.

He smiled as he kicked Gil, the last still waking, and got ready to begin a day at the bar.

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Where was Ban?

Meliodas and the others had looked all over the Boar Hat for a possibly passed out Ban but to no avail which meant, much to everyone's horror, that Meliodas was cooking. Everyone else just seemed convinced that Ban would return whenever he felt like it.

Meliodas wasn't so sure.

Ban was gone for a week now.

No one else seemed to be worried.

But Meliodas was.

Even if Ban never told Meliodas he was leaving for a few days, he always gave a sign he was planning to.

But Ban gave no sign this time.

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Meliodas's worry was spiking as Ban's disappearance bordered on two weeks without a sign of the immortal. He could tell the others were getting slightly worried as well.

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Meliodas was attempting to make a Boar Hat Meat Pie as a distraction from his thoughts of his MIA comrade when all of a sudden Elizabeth was running inside the Boar Hat along with Hawk, startling the majority of its drunken patrons as well as a now smaller Diane and King.

"Elizabeth?" Diane rushed over to her friend, who was gasping for breathe. Meliodas met Elizabeth's eyes as she looked up and he saw the pure fear and worry clear in them.

He dropped everything and hopped over the counter, walking quickly towards the princess.

"What happened?" The Captain's voice was scarily serious as he stopped a mere two feet from her and Hawk.

"I-It's *gasp* It's Lord Ban! Something *pant* h-happened to him I know it!" She held up a scrap of bright red cloth with darker red staining it.

"What? I'm sure that idiot's fine, you shouldn't worry yourself so much," King lazily floated over on his Chastifol and rolls his eyes.

"Yeah Elizabeth, he probably got caught in some bushes as he was leaving. I'm sure he's fine." Diane gave her friend a comforting smile.

"B-But!" She looked at Meliodas, hoping he would side with her when Hawk spoke up.

"The area where we found that cloth was covered in blood-Ban's blood-and someone's powerful magically energy!"

Meliodas frowned deeply and crossed his arms as the others all turned to look at him to see what he had to say.

"Gather the others, we don't know who or what took Ban but we need a lot of help if something was able to get the drop on him. We are going to rescue our comrade, we are going to rescue our friend."

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The Boar Hat was closed as Gil walked in and took a seat next to Howzer and Griamore at one of the tables. He looked around and frowned. Virtually everyone from Pincess Elizabeth's birthday party two weeks ago, minus Veronica, Margaret, Arthur, Jillian, Weinheidt, and Hugo. He had been told that Meliodas and the Sins required his and a few others help but it was unspecified what.

Meliodas cleared his throat. "I know this is last minute but I need all of your help." A brief, pained look crossed over Meliodas's face. "As you all know Ban supposedly left on his own to go where ever. But I had my suspicions and today they were confirmed." He held up the scrap of bloody cloth that was brought to him by Elizabeth and Hawk. "Ban was taken by something or someone with a powerful energy source."

Shocked eyes stared at the captain as quiet gasps filled the serious atmosphere.

"Before you all arrived, Merlin told me she could probably use her magic to trace where Ban disappeared to. So I'm asking you all to help us get our friend back. I don't know what took him so I need all the help I can get. So what do you say? Will you all help us?"

Not a single person hesitated.

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After waiting a good hour for Merlin's spell to finish, they finally found out where Ban was.

They found that their friend was roughly 200 miles east and 150 miles north and, since Merlin couldn't teleport a group of their magnitude, they were riding Hawk Mama.

It was going to be a large and anxious trip.

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Meliodas could feel n immense power not to far from them, heading in the same direction. The thing is, the power disappeared as soon as the sun set.

 _'Escanor'_ , Meliodas thought. _'If you get there first, make sure he's okay. Just hold on Ban.'_ Meliodas could feel Ban's power as they got closer but it was so weak.

They had to hurry.

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It was nighttime when they finally made it but all that was around them was the entrance to a cave. Gowther peaked into the open mouth and made a soft humming sound that Slader silently gushed over.

"By my calculations, there appears to be a series of tunnels and chambers below ground. I sense a few armed soldiers guarding one chamber in particular i'm assuming as they are all huddled together. That must be where Ban is."

Together, in silence, they all followed Meliodas down into the unknown to save their friend.

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As they descended deeper into the cave they found a flight of stone steps. It seemed like they were walking down the steps forever as the stone began to turn to steel. Meliodas determined the sun must be rising as a slowly rising power began to approach again, much closer than before. He looked at his fellow sins, knowing looks crossing all their faces.

Merlin smiled to herself.

After an excruciatingly long time they finally reached the end of the stairs only to see four separate tunnels. After not being able to pinpoint which tunnel Ban was down they eventually decided to split up into groups. Meliodas went down the far right tunnel with Elizabeth and Hawk (to keep an eye on them), along with Merlin. Hauser, Gilthunder, Griamore, and Jericho went down the far left tunnel. Diane, King, and Guila went down the middle left tunnel and finally Slader, Simon, and Gowther (much to Slader's overwhelming joy) went down the middle right tunnel.

 _'Just hold on Ban, we're coming!'_

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Hours they were walking and running down that tunnel, checking every single door they passed and taking out anyone standing in their way but, sadly, to no avail. They turned sharp corners, ran up and down more stairs but couldn't find him yet.

Meliodas was so preoccupied with trying to find Ban that he didn't recognize or notice the immense power just around the corner till _*POW*_ , he ran right into it. He fell to the floor, the other man just stood there staring down at him.

Meliodas looked up to see the lion symbol adorn a large, muscled back. By the looks of it, Escanor had just left a room and was turning down the hall when Meliodas ran into him.

"ESCANOR!" Meliodas grins and hops to his feet.

"Th-that is L-Lord Escanor?"

"Humph, he doesn't look so tough."

"It's good to see you again Escanor."

Through the group of four's exclamations, Escanor didn't turn around.

"Escanor? What's the matter?" Merlin's relaxing voice held the underlying hint of concern as she noticed the tense stature of her comrade, basically shaking in what she assumed was anger.

Their hearts dropped when he turned around.

In Escanor's large arms was none other than their missing immortal. He was covered in blood and was barely conscious. What really got to Meliodas was the dead look in his closest friends eyes. There was no joy, no happiness. Just a blank look.

It terrified the demon.

Suddenly, Elizabeth made a squeaking sound and looked away from Escanor and Ban, her face burning red. Then Meliodas noticed something.

Ban was covered in blood.

Ban was naked.

Ban had a dead look in his eyes.

Ban had semen trailing down from between his legs.

Fury took over Meliodas and everyone suddenly realized why Escanor was shaking in anger. Merlin's voice of reason took over to calm them both.

"We are no help to Ban like this, let's take him back to the Boar Hat, i'll contact Gowther and have him tell everyone that Ban was found and to retreat."

Meliodas nodded numbly.

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Surprisingly, their group was the last back to the mobile bar. As soon as they stepped inside though, every single head turn to look at them. Shock and horror covering every face as they saw the naked and bloody man in Escanor's arms. No one missed the white mixing with red dripping from him. Tears began flowing from Diane and Jericho's eyes as the majority of everyone else turned to look away to give the abused man some modesty.

Silently Meliodas led Escanor, who carried Ban, up to the immortal's room where he laid his limp form on the large bed.

"Go on Escanor, I'll clean him up," Meliodas's voice sounded nothing like him as he got a bowl and bar rag, filling the bowl with warm water. He sat on the edge of the bed and began cleaning away the blood on Ban's body gently. It wouldn't hurt him he knew, Ban was physically fine but mentally? Not so much...Ban said not a whole word since they found him.

The captain took a deep breathe and rinsed the rag in the bowl of water again before gently nudging Ban's legs apart to wash between them. His attention is brought to his friend's face as he hears the sudden choking sob escape his lips.

Ban was _crying_!

Meliodas abandoned the bowl and rag as he pulled the younger man up and into his arms, holding him tight to let him know everything was going to be okay, that he was safe and taken care of now. After a few hitching gasps Ban finally spoke.

"Y-you *hic* came for *hic* m-me..."

"Of course we did," Meliodas rubbed Ban's back in a comfort attempt. "You're our friend, you're part of our family, we-I love you." He was shocked out himself for admitting such a thing. Ban eventually cried himself to sleep but he knew that everything would somehow be okay.


End file.
